Striped paste dispenser



July 3, 1962 J. GALLO, SR 3,04

STRIPED PASTE DISPENSER Filed Nov. 15, 1959 INVENTOR. Lfay/v 674410, SH.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,042,263 Patented July 3, 1962 3,042,263 STRIPED PASTE DISPENSER John Gallo, Sr., 64 Broad St., Boston, Mass. Filed Nov. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 852,809 1 Claim. (Cl. ZZZ-94) This invention relates to a striped paste dispenser, and has particular applicability to a dispenser for striped toothpaste, cream, salves, ointments, or the like.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a device which may be readily attached to the threaded end of a conventional collapsible tube containing toothpaste, and impart to the paste upon ejection a striped character, the stripes being comprised of a suitable medicated ingredient, or, if desired, purely decorative material.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a device wherein the operating mechanism is entirely exterior of the tube, thereby reducing manufacturing and assembling costs materially.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of. such a device which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and eflicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble and utilize.

till other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and details of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational View of the device of the instant invention shown as applied to a collapsible tube, with striped paste being ejected from the mouth thereof;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2, as viewed dicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawing in detail, there is generally indicated at a conventional collapsible toothpaste tube having a nozzle 11 which is externally threaded, as indicated at 12.

The device of the instant invention is generally indicated at 15, and includes a cylindrical cap member 16, which is internally threaded, as indicated at 17, to permit attachment thereof by the external threads 12 of the nozzle 11.

The cap 16 has a central opening 18, provided with an inturned flange 19.

The flange 19 serves to retain an enlarged flange 20 which comprises an integral part of a tubular dispensing member 21, the flange 20 being adapted to seat interiorly of the cap 16, and, by its engagement with the flange 19, to hold the dispensing member securely in position against substantially along in the direction inthe mouth of nozzle 11. A suitable sealing gasket 22 may be interposed between the inner side of the flange 20 and the end of the dispensing cap 11. Dispensing nozzle 11 is provided with a customary central passage 11a through which paste P is adapted to be extruded. Interiorly of the tubular member 21 there is positioned a tube 23, which is secured at one end to a closure block 24, which is retained interiorly of the tubular member 21 by means of a flange 25 on the outer end thereof. The closure block 24 includes a reduced end portion 25a which seats interiorly of the opening formed by the flange 25 and is externally flush therewith. Tube '23 has, at its inner end, an opening 26, the edges of which are rounded, or beveled, as at 27, to provide for ingress of the paste into the interior thereof.

At the end of tube 23 adjacent block 24- there is provided a plurality of holes or openings 30, which are tapered, as indicated at 31, toward the inside of the tube, and which open immediately adjacent grooves 32 which are formed interiorly of the central bore 33 of block 24. It is to be noted that the central bore .33 corresponds exactly in diameter to the interior of the tube 23.

A circular disc 35 provided with a central opening 36 is positioned around tube 23 interiorly of tubular member 21, completely filling the space between the inside of member 21 and the outside of tube 23. A slidable flat ring 35 is originally positioned adjacent the opening 26 at the inner end of tube 23, and the space between the member 36 and the block 24 is filled with any suitable colored ingredient 37 such, for example, as hexachlorophene, or similar medicated ingredient.

In the use and operation of the device, the tube 10 is squeezed in the conventional manner, which forces the paste P outwardly, through the opening 26 and through the bore of tube 23, and thence outwardly through bore 33 of closure block 24. At the same time the pressure so exerted forces the ring 35 inwardly to extrude a relatively small amount of hexachlorophene or the like, which is thus impinged on the outer surface of the extruded paste in the forms of stripes S, these stripes taking a spiral form, imparted by the spiral grooves 32 interiorly of the bore 33.

Obviously, the grooves may be straight. if desired, to impart straight stripes, or the radius of the spiral may be increased or decreased, as desired, to impart a relatively elongated or a relatively short spiral stripe.

If desired the interior of tube 23 may also be provided with straight or spiral grooves 32a disposed intermediately of grooves 32 in order to impart a corrugated or ribbed effect to the uncolored portion of the paste.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided a device which may be-readily attached to the cap of any conventional toothpaste tube, which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made of the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

A dispensing device for striped paste comprising an internally threaded open ended cap adapted to engage the 3 threaded end of the collapsible tube, a hollow tubular member extending from and having one end in communication with the open end of said cap, a plug having a bore therethrough closing the other end of said tubular member, a tube of lesser diameter than said tubular member secured to said plug and extending inwardly into said tubular member, said tube having an open end in communication with said bore, a disc having a central opening slidably surrounding said tube and having its rim contacting the inside of said tubular member, coloring matter in the space between said disc and said plug, said tube having apertures therethrough adjacent said plug, said bore being grooved with the ends of the grooves being located adjacent said apertures in said tube, said grooves being arranged spirally, and additional grooves interiorly of said tube, said additional grooves being spaced intermediate of said grooves in said bore, said apertures being tapered 5 from the outside of said tube towards the interior thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

